NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO LAUNCH IN THAILAND

Published on March 13, 2001.

BANGKOK -- Amarin Printing & Publishing, a leading Thai publishing house, will launch the Thai-language edition of National Geographic Magazine in August. The first issue is scheduled to have an initial circulation of 50,000 copies selling at $2.20 per copy.

"All issues will be fully audited as required by our U.S. partner company, and we will not be able to artificially inflate actual circulation figures to attract advertisers," said Chief Editor Arinee Methasate.

While 15% to 20% of the magazine's content will be local stories, 80% to 85% will be supplied from the original English-language edition and transcribed.

There are no restrictions on the amount of advertising in every individual issue, although only full pages will be available to advertisers.

The cheapest rate for an inside full page, full color ad is $1,300 per single issue.

Thai will be the 20th language into which National Geographic has been translated. In Asia, there are currently only Japanese, Korean and Mandarin Chinese versions available.